Thursday, September 8, 2011

Fern and Leon

You know a story is going to be sweet when the main characters are named Fern and Leon.

And this is the real kind, not made up. Although I may someday write a children's book with main characters by those names. Because I'm smitten.

On Saturday I was struggling with our little lawn mower to try to mow a few weeks' worth of grass and weeds. I'm not exactly known for my physical prowess, so I was struggling a bit. Every few minutes I had to stop and dump grass clippings.

Then slowly a white car pulled alongside my yard and stopped. The window came down and a white haired man hollered at me, "You look like you have your work cut out for you!"

I wasn't really in the mood for commentary, but I looked up and put on my brave face and told him I was doing the best I could. He and his wife told me that they lived two doors down and began to make small talk with me about being from the midwest and whether I was of British descent. They told me their names, Leon and Fern, and I told them mine.

Then very conclusively Leon told me that he had a great riding mower and that they were going to the store but afterwards ("If it's not raining," said Fern) I'll come here and mow your yard for you. I tried in vain to talk him out of it, but it was settled. He told me that I would still have to do trim, but that he would be back. ("And if it rains, he'll come tomorrow," said Fern).

He was. A white haired angel on a riding mower. I had mowed for an hour and half already. I think it easily would have taken me another 5-6 hours to finish. What a blessing he was.

As Fern put it, "We're neighbors now, we might as well get to know each other." I'm just excited that I have neighbors like Leon and Fern.